Traffic marker



May 5, 1931. G. D. MYERS ET AL TRAFFIC MARKER Filed Jan. 30, 1929 2Sheets-Sheet l Psa. 2

FINI/ll May 5 1931. G.v D. MYERS E'r Al. 1,803,635

TRAFFIC MARKER Filed Jan. so, lzs 2 sheets-sheet 2 a9 a6 ab" PatentedMay 5, 1931 AUNITED ,STATI-:sA

PATENT OFFICE GEORGE DALTON MYERS, WALTER`A.. EDWARDS'AND JOHN W.`HOBING, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNORS TO THE EDWARDS MANUFACTURINGCOMPANY, OF CINCINNATI,

OHIO, A CORPORATION 0F OHIO `'rmusrre MARKER i This invention relates toa type of trafiic marker which is on the surface of the pavement itisintended to mark for Zoning purposes, as' for example safety Zones,street crossings, etc. I

The primary object of the marker herein described is to produce such amarker as will lie close to the surface of the'pavement it is to mark,sothat there is no occasion for obstruction to traffic or unnecessaryroughness or unevenness in the pavement surface to 'which my improvedmarker may be applied.

A further object is to produce a trafhc marker which may be applied atany time to a street surface of any paving material, without destroyingany portion of the street surface.`

" A further obj ect is to produce such a marker as will adapt itself toapplication to the surface .of the pavement in a manner that renders itsecure against displacement and which through continued use and thepassage of traffic over it, will tend'to cause it to become more firmlyseated or-secured to the pavement.

These and other objects are attained in the tra/Hic marker we havedescribed in the following specification and illustrated intheaccompanying drawing, in which:

, Fig, 1 is a perspective view of a traffic marker embodying ourinvention. y

Fig. 2 is a partial sectional view showing our improved markerinposition on a pavement to be marked. Y l

' Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a modified form of traffic markerembodying our'invention. v

Fig. tis a View in partial section showing the marker disclosed in Fig.3. v

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing the manner in which myVimproved marker is installed on the pavement surface.

Fig. 6 is a partial sectional viewv showing a modified form of ourimproved marker.

Fig. 7 is a view showing,partially in section, the marker disclosed inFig. 6, with its partsfin 'loosely' assembled condition ready forattachment to the pavement. l

Fig. `8 is a perspective view showing a detail of the marker shown inFigs. 6 and 7.

In the form shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 5, there is a plate 6V which'may beof any desired shape, as for example'circulan-square, triangular,diamond shaped, arrow shaped, or

otherwise. This plate preferably has a cross sectional shapesuch aswould disclose its under edges lying downturned or lapproximately so inorderl to rest upon the pavement wholly by reason of its support from`the edges. This feature is disclosed in Figs. 2 and 4t. The purpose ofthis is so that security of positioning maybe obtained with soliditywhenfastened. In thecenterof the plate, or at other suitable points,should the shape of the plate l render it advisable, there has beenprovided a fastening pin-7 which occupies a hole 13 in the plate.v Thispin spike or nail isv of special shape adapting it to the specificpurpose of securing the plate to the pavement. The pin has a head8 whichfits within a recess 9 formed withinthe plate, so that its topv surfaceis preferably flush with "the surface of the plate, asvshown.Immediately beneath this head is a shank consisting of a shortcylindrical portion 10 which terminates in a somewhat longer taperedportion 11 having a reverse Vtaper. By this is meant that the taperextends from a small diameter immediately beneath the portion 10 to adiameter ladjaeent to the lower end which maybe about as large as the'diameter of the portion 10. From this `point of large diameter of thetaper, to the end of the pin, is a short conical vend portionY 12 whichforms the guiding point J of the pin when it is driveninto the pavement.

In securingthe plate in `position the pavement may be preparedpreviously by making a hole 20 of substantially pin depth in itssurface, to receive v the pin. VIn the case of soft or yielding pavementmaterial, such a pin hole may be made by merely driving into the lyplace the plate in position and to drive Cil the pin directly into thepaving material without having to make the hole previously. In any eventthe hole, if necessary, shall preferably be of a diameter slightly lessthan the large diameter of the tapered portions of the pin so that asnug driving fit isv secured throughout the entire distance the pin isdriven. Thus 4a. snug driving it is obtained up to the point where theshoulder of the cylindrical portion contacts the pavement surface. Fromthis point further driving action occasions the shearing off of thematerial surrounding the hole in the pavement and forces it ahead of thecylindrical portion, thus causing it to pack or tamp into the annularspace surrounding the long tapered portion of the pin and in this mannerform a key packing which locks the pin against withdrawal from the hole.In F ig. 5 ive have shown in dotted lines 23 this area which is subjectto shearing action, and in Fig. 2, in reverse section lining 22surrounding the tapered portion 11, we have shown this sheared materialpacked or tamped around the pin.

In Figs. 3 and 4 we have shown a modified form of the invention. Theonly difference over the form shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 5, lies in theshape of the pin. The modification consists in so shaping the pin thatits head 14 is of countersunk shape instead of iat as shown in Figs. 1,2 and 5, and its tapered shank 15 belowr the cylindrical portion 16 issquare instead of round in cross section. The recess 1T in the plate 13i5 of course made of countersunk shape to accommodate the head 14. Afeature of this pin shape is that it necessitates a pavement hole 19ywhich may be less in diameter than that needed for the round shank pin.This is because the coi'- ners of the 'square shank will force their wayinto the material Surrounding the i101@ quite readily and thus leavemore paving material around the entrance to the hole to be sheaied oit'and packed or tamped into the hole by the cylindrical portion 16 of thepin, as

shown in reverse cross section 2l. in Fig. Ll.

In Figs. 6, 7 and 3 we have shown a form of our invention which has beendesigned for specific purposes. This marker is primarily intended foruse where relatively heavy traf.- tic conditions exist, The marker isdesigned with two objects in mind. First, the marker has been made toembody great strength. Second, the marker has been designed for rigidityoi fastening under Severe Sa-se Three elements are employed. There is amarker plate which is supported by a reenforcing plate 26, both platesbeing locked together and to `the pavement by a locking pin 27. Theplate embodies nothing diiferent in conformation than plate 1S oftheform shown in Fig. 4. Heiraten the @enforcing Plate 26 is made to nestagainst the under face of plate 2,5, as shown, but is providedpreferably with edge` indentations'28 which cause the formation ofpoints or lugs 29 on the top face of the plate and lugs or points 30 onthe under face. The 3l and 32 in the respective plates are of a sizebarely to permit t-he entrance of the small lower end of the slightlytapered tamping portion 33 of the pin. The countersunk head 34 of thepin is designed to occupy the plate recess 35. The reversely taperedportion 36 and the point 37 of the pin are the same as in pin 7 shown inFigs. l and 2.

The functioning of the features we have described is shown in thedescription of the fastening operation now given. First the parts areassembled loosely as shown in Fig. 7, with the point of the pin in thepreviously prepared hole 38 in the pavement. Then the pin is given ablow to drive its tapered portion 33 into the plate holes, therebywedgingly locking the two plates and the pin as an integral structure.This driving is continued, thereby forcing the two plates together andcausing the points 29 to enter the metal under surface ,of the plate 25somewhat as shown in Fig. 6, thereby also locking the plates againstrelative rotation. Continued driving of the pin also causes the annularunder shoulder of the tamping portion 33 to shear the material of thepavement away from around the edge of the hole 38 and to pack or tampsuch material int-o the space surrounding the reversely tapered portion36 as shown in Fig. 6, thereby locking the pin against withdrawal.Incidentally, the driv of the pin also causes the two plates to bepressed into the pavement at their peripheries suiiiciently to assuretheir being prevented from tilting or turning, the points 30 on theunder edges of plate 26 entering the pavement surface to preventrotation of the entire structure. Also, the lower edge of the plate 26surrounding its center hole 32, is brought into engagement with thepavement surface. In this manner the marker plate is supported at threeannular support zones or lines of contact with the pavement, the firstbeing at the extreme edge .of plate 25, the second being at the eXtremeedge of plate 26, and the third being at the line of contact of edge 39of plate 26. A marked advantage thus attained lies in the reenforcementand number of places of support of the marker plate, this eliminatingany tendency toward iiattening and consequent loosening of the plate, aswell as avoiding any tendency of the plate to be gradually pressedfurther and further into the pavement under heavy trafhc conditionseventually thereby causing the plate to become less and less conspicuousas an indicator.

It may be pointed out that the character of the pavement material may beof such a hard and crystalline nature, as for example concrete, that aplastic or semiplastic material may have to be employed as a binder orcementitious material such as tar or liquid asphalt to secure thenecessary adhesion of the pin within its mounting hole throughpenetration of this binder into the pores of the paving material,adhesion to the pin surfaces and binding of the sheared particles into ahomogeneous packing or tamping surrounding the pin as a key to lock itin place. As-

phalt paving is of such a nature as to render such separate bindermaterial unnecessary.

Another feature of our invention is that the actual fastening andmaintenance of the plate in fastened condition is accomplished veryeffectively by reason of the continual action of traiiio passing overthe pin and plate, thereby forcing the pin continually to occupy a tightplate-holding position relatively to the pavement surface even shouldthere ever be tendency for it to lift slightly or to loosen. This isbecause of the continual tamping action which the cylindrical portion ofthe pin 'gives the material which is acting to key it within themounting hole.

Although we have described the locking y pin as being separately formed,it is quite obvious that it may as readily be formed asa projection onthe plate itself, thus making the marker a structure of but one piece,without departing from the spirit and scope of our invention. l

Also, although we have suggested but two forms of our invention, it isquite obvious that it may be otherwise varied, the locking pin, forexample, being capable of considerable variation as to the shape of itstapered portion or the number of steps or offsets therein. This maylikewise be said of the tapered portion which operates to cause theprojection or pin to be locked securely during and after the fasteningoperation.

Having thus described our invention what we claim is:

In combination with a traffic marker plate having a pin receiving holetherein, a fastening pin occupying the hole and consisting of a shankhaving at one endan enlarged head engaging the plate surroundingthe'hole, at the opposite end a pointed pavement penetrating portion,adjacent the penetrating portion a reversely tapered portion, andbetween the reversely tapered portion and the head agtamping portion ofcross sectional area larger than the greatest cross sectional area ofeither of the first mentioned portions, said tamping portion having asharp edged shoulder adapted to shear and tamp paving material aroundthe reversely tapered portion when the pin is driven into the pavementthrough the plate.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto aiiixed our signatures.

G. DALTON MYERS. JOHN W. HOBING. WALTER A. EDWARDS.

